[Numpy-discussion] Comments on governance proposal (was: Notes from the numpy dev meeting at scipy 2015)

[Bryan Van de Ven]

> On Aug 27, 2015, at 9:36 AM, Matthew Brett <matthew.brett at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> So, in answer to your question, it's difficult to know if a particular
> governance model is successful.   It isn't enough that a project has
> lasted, or is still active, because there are so many factors in play.
>  On the other hand, I think it is possible to point to models that
> have a tendency to fail in particular ways, and the by-invitation
> meritocratic 'core' group (I think this is close to the 'steering
> committee' in our current draft) is the model that failed for NetBSD
> and XFree86, with a particular pattern of poor or absent
> accountability and lack of project vision.

Anecdotes about two projects is not compelling evidence of anything unless you can also point to a comparison of the corresponding success rate. Two failures out of three is suggestive. Two failures out of three hundred is significantly less interesting. More useful would be  actual details of an alternative proposal or pointers to examples of alternative arrangements that could be modeled. 

Bryan